It’s a huge honor (pronounced: pressure) to write a title started by Joss Whedon, and continued by Warren Ellis. Only two of my favorite writers in the English language.

Luckily, I’ll have the aid of NICK BRADSHAW (artist from my Uncanny X-Men Annual) and a cover by comics legend ART ADAMS!!

<— Check it out.

I am thrilled to be doing this! And I promise great character moments, clandestine activities, two surprise character involvements, and crazy-town visuals from Nick! Seriously, ask your comic shop to order & hold you a copy :D

ASTONISHING X-MEN #43
Written by JAMES ASMUS
Pencils by NICK BRADSHAW
Cover by ARTHUR ADAMS
Join us for a special told-in-one story with Emma Frost and Danger delivering on a promise back in ASTONISHING X-MEN #24. Don’t miss this confrontation that has been brewing since 2008!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

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And on a related note,I met Art Adams at San Diego Comic Con this last weekend – and he was a fantastic guy! He has long been one of my absolute favorite artists, but I think all the intricate details in pieces like this made me worry he might be… socially withdrawn?

I couldn’t have been more wrong. The man was charming, intelligent, and kind. I can honestly say this issue is going to be another personal treasure for me as a result of everyone involved, and the legacy of the title.

I’m a week behind in mentioning it (due, largely to C2E2) – but my biggest comic to date is currently adorning YOUR LOCAL COMIC SHOP:

UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL #3

Escape From the Negative Zone (pt 1)

The annual event bringing together UNCANNY X-MEN, STEVE ROGERS: SUPER SOLDIER and NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT starts here! The X-Men get sucked into the Negative Zone and are held captive by Blastaar. But with the Fantastic Four still reeling from the death in the family it falls to Steve Rogers to step in and save the mutants from Blastaar. 40 PAGES / $3.99

“James Asmus and Nick Bradshaw, these two nailed the feeling of the X-Men in this book, and as far as I’m concerned, have effectively put themselves on the map.” - IGN.com

My editor at Marvel (Nick Lowe) liked my scripting of Emma Frost for the Uncanny X-Men Annual enough to ask me to write a solo story for her. It was a BLAST! AND it was given gorgeous art by Jon Buran and Ian Hannin.

Out in March 2011 (just in time for C2E2), the story will cross-over between the Annuals for Uncanny X-Men, Steve Rogers: Super Soldier, and Namor: First Mutant.

HOLY CRAP!

This has really been a thrill, and I hope you all dig it too. And make sure you pre-order it from your local comic shop so they know to order enough! :)

I’ll talk more about this project here in the coming months. In the meantime, check out the links below for all kinds of more info. Seriously, go to them. If nothing else, to check out a bunch more art from the first two annuals by

Nicholas Bradshaw & Ibraim Robertson. These guys are killing it with these pages!